Process of calcination.



J. G. HEOKMAN. PROCESS OF GALCINATION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, mm.

Patented May 18, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

FIG, 2

I. C. HECKMAN. PROCESS OF GALGINATION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1907.

Patented May 18, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 QEAZEQ wamassas.

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.lOSEPIfC. HEf/K MAN, O1 ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WIL- LIAM J. GILMORE, OF PIT'lSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF CALCINATIQN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

4 Patented May 18, 190 9.

Application filed November 11, 1907. Serial No. 401,703.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, Josnrn O. HEOKMAN, a resident of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Calcination; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a process of calcination.

In the calcination of certain ores or other certain proportion of water and of sulfuric acid so that a thin and often a'freely flowing liquid results. In order to bring this diluted substance into proper form for introduction into the calcining furnace it has been customary heretofore to introduce the liquid into evaporating pans and by the application of a certain amount of heat create evaporation which left the substance in a dry or semi-dry condition. After this evaporation hastaken place the substance was removed from said pans and then introduced into a suitable calcining furnace where it was subjected to a' high heat for some times a period of 72 hours before the material was properly calcined.

The object of my invention is to dispense with this preliminary evaporation of the liquid, by evaporating and calcining at one operation, which greatly reduces the amount of time, labor and heat heretofore required for calcining a substance in a diluted or liquid form.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated a suitable furnace or mufflefor carrying out my invention, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionahelevation of same; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is an en larged detail.

As above stated, in the extraction of certain metals from their ores to form oxide of such metals it is necessary to dilute the ores with a certain amount of water and sulfuric and sulfuric acid until the same is--diluted or in liquid form. This mixture is contained in a suitable vat 2 located adjacent to the furnace 3 so that the liquid lifted-by a dipper may be introduced into thespout 4 to be conveyed into the furnace This furnace 3 is built of fire brick and is provided with a series of lines 5 extending from the front to the rear end of said furnace. The space between the arches 6 is filled in with clay or other suitable material 7 to form a level surface, and on the top of the same is laid a floor 8 of brick .of suitable refractory material laid in ashes tos cement. The flues 5 communicate at said vertical lines 9 in turn communicate with the horizontal return fines 10 which communicate with the cross flue l1 communicating with the flue 12 leading to the stack. Formed in the rear wall 13 are the ports 14 which form communication between the vertical flues 9 and the muil le-ehamber The gas pipes 15 communicate with the mixers 16 and-the air and gas are admitted to the fines 5 where combustion takes place. 17 lead from the main 18 to the mulile'chamher at or adjacent to the ceiling thereof.

The openings 19 are provided in the side wall of the furnace for the introduction of the substance to be calcined and said openings are provided with the doors 20. The openings 20" extend down flush with the bottom 8 of the muffle chamber and these 0 enings are filled up to a certain height with t e clay or other material 21 which may be readily broken down or removed when it is desired to withdraw the material after it has been calcined.

The front of the furnace is provided with the opening 22 closed with the door 23 for the purpose of introducing the stirrer or scraper to work the material during the rocess of calcination. This 0 ening 22 is a ove the floor level of the mu e chamber and in this manner a basin or reservoir is formed to receive the liquid and prevent its escape.

A line 24 leads from the front end of the l mulile chamber into the flue 12 and said flue is controlled by the damper 25. A damper 26 is employed to control the fine 12.

In carrying out my process with the above described furnace or mufiie, the gas is turned the furnace is heated up to ahigh degree of their rear ends with the vertical flues 9 and Gas pipes on at the pipes 15 and ignited, whereupon hours.

heat which equires some hours. This heats the muffle chamber up to a high temperature, the bricks oi' the floor 8 being practically at a white heat. hen the proper degree of heart has been reached the diluted flue-dust is then dipped from the vat 2 and passes by'the liquid may be continued until the basin of the inuijiic chamber is practically filled, whereupon the spout 4 may be withdrawn and the opening 19 closed by the door 20. The culcination process is allowed to continue lor a number of hours, which time will vary according to the substance being treated. By this process, however, material which has hcri'vto'i'ore required 72 lioursto calciuc may be properly calcined in about 12 The gas may also be ignited at the pipes 17 within the inuflie chamber, which gas burns in a [lame over the ceiling of the niulllc chaii'ibcr and a large amount of heat is in this way rcilected onto the material below. The operator from time to time rakes and stirs the material with a rake introduced through the opening and as the oxidation takes place the substance is reduced to a dry hard form. I v i My process has also proven particularly suitable to the calcination of the ores of vanadium, which haveto be diluted as above until the composition is nearly as thin as water, and b the method heretofore employed this liqui was first introduced into evaporating pans and after evaporation had taken place t 6' dry substance remained which was then introduced into a calcining furnace. By my improved process, however, the steps of, eva' oration and calcining are done in one operation, thereby greatly reducing the time and labor.

What I claim is:

The process of calcination consisting in introducing to the furnace the substance to be calcined in a lic uid or diluted state to a substantially equal depth at all oints, continually exposing the substance uring the evapcrating and calcining operation to a substantially even heat continuously ap lied at all points, and calcining equally at all points on the furnace bottom.

In testimony whereof, I the said JOSEPH C. HECKMA'N have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH c. HECKMAN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C. To'r'rnN, J. R. KELLER 

